General Plan Update Expected to Get Final Approval Aug. 3

The long-awaited update to the General Plan for San Diego county development is in the final stretch. It will next appear before the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 3.

On Wednesday, the Board directed staff to make some minor changes to the plan which had been presented by the Planning Commission and staff.

Property owners and the general public have been giving input about the plan in public hearings before the Board since October 2010. The Planning Commission reviewed it in 2009. The update has taken several years to assemble. The process has included meetings with planning groups and other stakeholders.

Some moderate to major change requests will not be incorporated in the update, said Chief of Advanced Planning Devon Muto. There are numerous requests from throughout the county that fall in these categories, he said. There is a chance some could later be incorporated into the plan but that could take two to three years, Muto said.

There are three moderate change requests and four major change requests from Ramona property owners that didn't make it into the plan update. One example of these came from the owner of undeveloped land on Black Canyon Road. Currently, the land is zoned for one dwelling unit for every 40 acres. However, the property owner wanted it zoned for one unit per four acres, Muto said.

Although the General Plan is specifically tailored to unincorporated areas, there is a regional aspect which takes cities into account, Muto said. For example, the county's General Plan is designed to be consistent with the Regional Blueprint developed by SanDAG. Muto said planners consider regional aspects when looking at how transit projects are funded, for example.

Given the years of research, documentation, explanation, coordination, changes and public input that such a massive undertaking involves, Ramona Patch asked Muto what if feels like to be bringing this project toward home plate.

"I like to see it moving forward," he said. "My job is presenting the information to the Board of Supervisors and if they approve it and it moves forward, then that's my job fulfillment."

For general information on the General Plan Update, click here. For Ramona specific information, click here.